Improvement in fence-posts



Patented May 2,'1876..

E. SIMS.

FENCE-POST.

MJ@ MM.

ummnsmms 'PATEN'-f GF'FIGE'I ELIJA-Heins, or Uno-RA, ILLINOIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1777,02 l, dated May 2, 1876 ;"aupplication filed March 6, 1876. v

Toall whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that l, E'LIJAH SIMS, of Aurora,

in thecounty of Kane and AState of Illinois,

have invented anew and useful Improvement in Iron Fence-Posts, which is applicable to lamp-posts and all other uprights and sup.- ports lwhich are held in positionby being driven into or otherwise firmly planted in the earth; and it consists `in combining, with the base-collar of the post and a disk below suchv base collar, radial ribs extendingy from the` base-collar to the disk' and driving-ribs from and below' the disk, said ribs tapering both up and down from said disk, and in which the base-collar and disk form lateral bracesA above and below the upper tapering ribs, to which they serve as top and bottom caps, and

form a partial inclosure for thel upper ribs, to obtain increased bearing and lsupporting.; surv face, the lower ribs heilig driven with the post aiuto the ground, while ,the upper ribs are packed between the base-shoulder and the disk, as will bedescri'bed and explained with reference 'to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures l and 2 are side views of an iron n post embod yin g my improvement, showing its position in the post-hole; Fig. 3, a cross-section above the horizontal strengthening-plate,

showing the form thereof; and Figs. 4, 5, and

ing device.

6 are enlarged views, showing the wire-hold- A is the shaft orpost, which may be made hollow, and of a form suitable for gas-lamps,

' or of a form and-'height suitable for a fence or gate post. The post shown is a fence-post provided w'lth shoulders B B, cast or formed there on to receive the Wires of the fence. These shoulders are divided longitudinally, as shown, and the post itself, at a proper interval above the shoulder, is perforated transversely there to, and a pin or holt, C, passed through, the end of it being bent downward v and fitting in the recess in the shoulder.

which secures it, renders it perfectly easy to tighten and secure the tension of the wire, or to detach and remove itin a moment. D is a molding or collar, which is the apparent base of the post when fixed in the ground.l `The i lower-end of the post is pointed to facilitate l The-straight endA of the bolt is screw-threaded, and a nut, a,

its being driven into the grounds Cast with or otherwise formed upon the postA is a disk or flange, E, the plane of which is at right angles to the post. F F are ribs or wings, radiating from the post, and formed with or upon A it and the lower face of the disk E, and having an extreme width less than that of said disk or. shoulder, which consequently projects 'on all sides beyond them, and tapering downwhere a lateral strain-as, for example,that vof a gate or of a swinging signis exerted upon it. v i n I'use my invention as a fence or gate post in the following mannerz' A post-hole is dug of suitablewidth to admit the diskor shoul der, and of adepth equal to thedistance from K the lower side of the disk tot'the base D, 'care being taken to have the bottom of the posthole level, so as'A to afford a good horizontal support for the disk; 'The post is then driven V- inuntil the disk rests tirmlyonthebottoul of Y l the hole, and the earth firmly packedV around and above it, securing it from being uprooted v easily, as might happenit' a sign or other object attached thereto were struck by wind.-

It will -be seen that the ribs Ftaper downward from the disk E to allow them to be drivenv into the ground with the post,and

that the ,ribsl F' join the base-collarv D,and A extend therefrom to the disk, so that the upper ribs are embraced between two caps, which form thereby a partially-inclosedspace for the ribs, and consequently a better 'hold in the earth for the post, as the collar serves as a brace to the disk through the joining-ribs, ,y

I donot claim a post provided withv a horizontal holding-plate and radial ribs above thel same; but the driving-ribs and the base-co1-v lar in my post form anew and useful combination with these old parts, having advan v tages not enhanced in the disk and ribs as heretofore employed.

I claim-.- l

\ 1. Thecombiuaitiomin enionpointedfencef for the purpose set forth. v i Y post,v of the base-coller D mid the driving rd.- In testimony wliereofI haveaixedmy sigdial ribs F with the disk E `and the/cop ribs nature in tho` preseueeof two witnesses.

F', all constructed as and for the purpose hel'e-` in set forth. Witnesses: v p 2. The post A, formed with recessed shoui- ROBERT C. ALLEN, ders B, and provided with detachable L-formed jMILToN Z. SIMS.

` ELIJAH sIMs.

screw-bolts() and nuts, substautiailyas and 

